Budget 2011: CNBC TV18 & CNN IBN lead the pack

TAM Media Research has released the data for Budget Day (February 28) 2011. An exchange4media analysis of the numbers reiterates that the general audience interest in Budget has increased and this can be seen in the marginal increase in overall viewership of English business news channels, in comparison to Budget 2010.

As is known, the competition was tougher this year with players such as ET Now competing with market leader CNBC TV18 on getting television’s best analysts to decode Finance Minister’s Budget speech for the audience.

CNBC TV18 – of maintaining leadership: ET Now – a worthy challenger…
CNBC TV18 has maintained its leadership in the space for the 11th consecutive year now despite the advent of competition.

Given the mass appeal of the budget, for the target C&S 15+, in the 1 million plus markets including metros, on February 28, 2011 (all-day share) CNBC TV18 commands 61 per cent market share of the English business news channels. Last year, the channel had a 39 per cent share of the market. While last year, Bloomberg UTV had managed to gain the next highest on these parameters (22 per cent market share), NDTV Profit and ET Now both held 20 per cent share each of the genre in 2010.

This year, ET Now has managed to grow its share and is at 22 per cent of the genre, becoming the number two most watched English business news channel. NDTV Profit and Bloomberg UTV have both dropped to 9 per cent market share each this year on Budget day.

To give a sense of the core TG of C&S 25+, the ratings chart shows similar ranking. CNBC TV18 holds a 64 per cent share this year; ET Now has 20 per cent; Bloomberg UTV is slightly ahead of NDTV Profit with 9 per cent, while Profit has 7 per cent market share.

CNBC TV18 in fact has beaten English general news channels on Budget Day this year.

CNN IBN leads; Times Now & NDTV 24x7 follow…
In the English general news space, CNN IBN has captured strong numbers across TG. Times Now holds the second position.

For the target C&S 15+, in the 1 million plus markets including metros, on February 28, 2011 (all-day share), CNN IBN has a 35 per cent market share. Times Now holds 27 per cent share while NDTV 24x7 follows close behind at 25 per cent. Headlines Today has cornered 11 per cent of the genre share and NewsX stays on a modest 2 per cent.

On these parameters last year, NDTV 24x7 was leading on Budget Day (February 26, 2010) with 33 per cent market share. Times Now was at 31 per cent share. CNN IBN had a mere 22 per cent share of the last year. Headlines Today was at 10 per cent and NewsX had 4 per cent share of the genre.